Machine cover



July 5, 1966 M. c. MANNING 3,259,113

MACHINE COVER Filed Aug. 28, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

MATTHEW C. MANNING,

FIG. 4 wwzwm ATTORNEYS,

y 1966 M. c. MANNING 3,259,173

MACHINE COVER Filed Aug. 28, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3'

INVENTOR.

MATTHEW C. MANNING Mg W ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,259,173 MACHINECOVER Matthew C. Manning, 1709 E. Michigan Blvd., Michigan City, Ind.Filed Aug. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 305,061

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 160-238) The present invention relates to a machinecover and more particularly to a retractable cover for use primarilywith typewriters, adding and dictating machines, calculators and checkprotectors, and similar business machines.

Most typewriters, adding and dictating machines, cal culators and checkprotectors are provided with removable covers which conform generally tothe configuration of the machine. These covers are placed on themachines at the end of the working day and removed bodily therefrom atthe beginning of the day and stored in a desk drawer or the like, oftenusing much needed space therefor. Further, in view of the fact that thecover is often cumbersome and inconvenient to place on the machine andto store, the machine is frequently not covered during the day when itis unused for long periods of time,

and, when the covers are on the machines, they are often from thegeneral office appearance. Attempts have been 'made in the past toprovide retractable covers for busimovable cover.

It is therefore one of the primary objects of the present invention toprovide a cover for typewriters, adding and dictating machines,calculators, check protectors, and

similar business machines, which can be readily retracted into a compactcontainer, and which can be quickly pulled from the container over themachine to give the machine protection throughout the working day whenit is not in use, without detracting from the utility of the machine andthe general appearance of the office.

In the use of typewriters, erasures are often made, creating eraser dustand fragments which naturally tend to adhere to the typewriter covers.It is therefore another object of the present invention to provide thepresent retractable business machine cover with a means for cleaning thecover while it is being retracted, thus preventing eraser dust andsimilar foreign materials from fouling the retracting mechanism andproviding a consistently clean and attractive cover.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a retractablecover for typewriters and other business machines which is stored whennot in use in a compact container at the rear of the machine, and whichis transparent so that when it is pulled over the machine, the machine,or its general configuration, can be readily seen, thus eliminating theunsightly appearance normally asso- .ciated with business machinescovered with the conventional covers.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide aretractable cover which can be readily and firmly installed adjacent themachine to be covered thereby, and which permits the machine to be movedor adjusted in position while it is being used, without any interferencefrom the retractable cover mechanism.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a relativelysimple, easy to operate retractable cover for business machines whichcan be readily fabricated using standard fabricating equipment andmaterials, and which can be easily serviced and cleaned at the same timethat the business machine is being serviced.

wrinkled, loosely fitted or otherwise unsightly and detract Additionalobjects and advantages of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional typewriter,showing the present retractable cover device installed and illustratingthe manner in which the present retractable cover device is used;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the retractable cover deviceshown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the retractable cover device shown in thepreceding figures;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross sectional view of the present retractablecover device, the section being take on line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross sectional view of the reel of theretractable cover device shown in the preceding figures, the sectionbeing taken on line 5-5 of FIG- URE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the operating mechanism ofthe present retractable cover device.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, numeral 10 designates aconventional typewriter having four legs or pads 12 for supporting thetypewriter on the top of a desk or other typewriter support 14. For thepurpose of the present invention, the typewriter, legs and support areconsidered standard equipment and will not be described in detailherein. Numeral 16 designates the present retractable machine coverdevice having a base plate 18 secured to the bottom of a container 20and extending beneath the two rear legs 12 of the typewriter. The baseplate is held firmly in place by the weight of the typewriter; however,for permanent installations, the base plate may be secured to thetypewriter support by screws extending downwardly through holes 22 and24 in the base plate.

The container 20 consists of a front wall 26, rear wall 28, two endwalls 30 and 32, and a top wall 34, the front wall being removablysecured to the end walls and supported in part by a flange 36 extendinglaterally from the lower edge of the front wall. Rear wall 28 ispreferably formed as an integral part of the base plate, extendingupwardly from the rear edge of the plate and supporting upper wall 34,which, likewise, is formed integrally with rear wall 28. The exactconfiguration of the container is not critical and may be changed tocorrespond with the designs of the machines and decor of the office.

The actual cover for the typewriter consists of a flexible panel 40attached to a reel 42 disposed in container 20 and adapted to coil panel40 thereon as the panel is retracted into container 20. The panel passesdownwardly through space 43 provided between the forward edge of upperwall 34 and the upper edge of front wall 26, and is provided with a handpart or portion 44 extending the full length of the forward edge ofpanel 40, thereby giving reinforcement to the panel to assist inmaintaining it in its laterally extended position, and to provide aneasily grasped handle for pulling the cover over the typewriter andretracting it into container 20. The hand portion 44 is sufiicientlyheavy to hold panel 40 firmly over the top of the'typewriter and preventit from being accidentally removed therefrom. Panel 40 is preferablymade of transparent plastic, so that the business machine can be seenthrough the panel, thus protecting the machine without detracting fromthe appearance of the oflice during the working day.

Reel 42 consists of an elongated roller 50 supported at one end by a pin52 extending into a bracket 54 and at the other end by a bar 56extending into a bracket 58, brackets 54 and 58 being rigidly attachedto the front wall 26. Pin 52 has a rigid reinforcing collar 59 and isrigidly attached to roller 50 by a cup-shaped member 60 extending overthe end of the roll and along the side and securely attached thereto byinwardly extending flanges 62. Bar 56 is connected to a stem 63 whichextends inwardly from the end of roller 50 in a cylindrical chamber 64and supports a coil spring 66, the spring 66 being attached to the innerend of stem 63 and to inwardly extending annular flange 67 of acup-shaped head member 68 mounted on the respective end of roller 50.Head member 68 is provided with another inwardly extending annularflange 70 which firmly secures the cup-shaped head member onto the endof roller 50. A ratchet mechanism consisting of a ratchet Wheel 71, anda plurality of dogs or pawls 72 operates in conjunction with spring 66to permit panel cover 40 to be uncoiled from roller 50 and to retain thepanel in its uncoiled position until it is intentionally released. Uponreleasing of the pawls by a quick, short forward movement of panel 40,spring 66 rewinds panel 40 on roller 50. The reel 42 is mounted bybrackets 54 and 58 on front wall 26, and front wall 26 is secured to theend walls by removable screws 74 and 76. Thus, roller 50 can be readilyremoved from the container by merely removing the two screws and liftingthe front wall from the container.

One of the principal features of the present retractable cover device isthe cleaning device consisting of felt members 80 and 82 mounted,respectively, on the upper edge of front panel 26 and the forward edgeof top panel 34. The two felt members project into space 43, restrictingthe space to the extent that the two surfaces of panel 40 are wipedthoroughly each time the panel is retracted into container 20, thusremoving any eraser dust or any other foreign objects on either the topor bottom surface of the panel. This prevents the foreign materials fromaccumulating on reel 42 and in container 20 where they would interferewith proper operation of the coiling and uncoiling mechanism, andpossibly dent, score or otherwise damage the surface of panel 40.

In the operation, the present device is preferably firmly mounted on thetypewriter support 14 and the typewriter placed on the support and onthe upper surface of base plate 18 adjacent the front edge of container20. Panel 46 is then pulled upwardly over the typewriter until handportion 44 reaches the forward edge of the typewriter. On releasing thehand portion 44, the weight thereof is suflicient to retain panel 40 ina taut position over the typewriter, thereby giving a neat appearance tothe cover.

When the cover is to be retracted, the hand portion is lifted upwardlyfrom the typewriter, and a quick forward movement is applied to panel40, thus disengaging ratchet wheel 71 and pawls 72 and permitting spring66 to coil panel 49 on roller 50. When the retractable cover is not inuse, panel 40 is fully retracted with hand portion 44 resting on theupper surfaces of felt members 80 and 82 in the manner illustrated inFIGURE 2.

While only one embodiment of the present invention has been described indetail herein, various changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A retractable business machine cover, comprising a rectangular baseplate extending the full Width of the machine for receiving the machineon a supporting sur face, an elongated container mounted on and abovesaid base plate along one edge thereof, said container having end walls,a rear wall formed integrally with said base plate, a top wall formedintegrally with said rear walland a front wall removably secured to saidend walls and spaced from said top wall to provide an elongated openingin said container, a reel in said container, means at each end of saidreel for supporting said reel on said front wall, a panel of flexibletransparent material on said reel secured at one end to said reel, anelongated stiff hand portion attached to the forward edge of said paneland being of a width larger than said opening, a spring in said reel forwinding said panel thereon, -a plurality of pawls on said reel forretaining said panel in any desired unwound position, a felt-like membermounted on the forward edge of said top wall, and a felt-like cleaningmember mounted on the upper edge of said front wall, said membersengaging and cleaning opposite surfaces of said panel simultaneouslyeach time said panel is retracted.

2. A retractable business machine cover, comprising a base plate, anelongated container mounted on and above said base plate extending thefull width of the machine for receiving the machine on a supportingsurface, said container having end Walls, a rear Wall formed integrallywith said base plate, a top wall formed integrally with said rear walland a front wall removably secured to said end walls and spaced fromsaid top wall to provide an elongated opening in said container, aself-winding reel in said container, means at each end of said reel forsupporting said reel on said front Wall, a panel of flexible transparentmaterial on said reel secured at one end to said reel, an elongatedstiff hand portion attached to the forward edge of said panel and beingof a width larger than said opening, and felt-like members mounted onsaid container along each longitudinal edge of said opening for cleaningboth sides of said panel each time the said panel is retracted.

3. A retractable business machine cover, comprising a base plateextending the full width of the machine for receiving the machine on asupporting surface, an elongated container mounted on said base plateand having a removable front wall and an elongated opening in the frontupper edge thereof and with the front wall forming one side of saidopening, a reel in said container, means at each end of said reel forsupporting said reel on said front wall, a panel of flexible transparentmaterial on said reel secured at one end to said reel, an elongatedstiff hand portion attached to the forward edge of said panel and beinglarger than said opening, a spring in said reel for winding said panelthereon, a plurality of pawls for retaining said panel in any desiredunwound position, and felt-like members mounted on said container alongeach longitudinal edge of said opening for cleaning both sides of saidpanel each time the said panel is retracted.

4. A retractable business machine cover, comprising a base plate, anelongated container mounted on said base plate and having a removablefront wall and an elongated opening positioned longitudinally therein,one side of said opening being formed by said front wall, a self-windingreel in said container, means at each end of said reel for supportingsaid reel on said front wall, a panel of flexible transparent materialon said reel secured at one end to said reel, an elongated hand portionattached to the forward edge of said panel and being of a width largerthan said opening, and felt-like cleaning members mounted on saidcontainer along each longitudinal edge of said opening for cleaning bothsides of said panel each time the said panel is retracted.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 965,441 7/1910Conway -23 X 1,062,277 5/1913 Guricke 160-23 X 2,008,412 7/ 1935 Boveeet al 45-681 2,172,444 9/1939 Larsen et al 312-296 2,492,262 12/1949Boyden 45-68.l

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

C. A. NUNBERG, P. M. CAUN, Assistant Examiners.

1. A RETRACTABLE BUSINESS MACHINE COVER, COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR BASEPLATE EXTENDING THE FULL WIDTH OF THE MACHINE FOR RECEIVING THE MACHINEON A SUPPORTING SURFACE, AN ELONGATED CONTAINER MOUNTED ON AND ABOVESAID BASE PLATE ALONG ONE EDGE THEREOF, SAID CONTAINER HAVING END WALLS,A REAR WALL FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH SAID BASE PLATE, A TOP WALL FORMEDINTEGRALLY WITH SAID REAR WALL AND A FRONT WALL REMOVABLY SECURED TOSAID END WALLS AND SPACED FROM SAID TOP WALL TO PROVIDE AN ELONGATEDOPENING IN SAID CONTAINER, A REEL IN SAID CONTAINER, MEANS AT EACH ENDOF SAID REEL FOR SUPPORTING SAID REEL ON SAID FRONT WALL, A PANEL OFFLEXIBLE TRANSPARENT MATERIAL ON SAID REEL